Stronger PHL-Thailand ties eyed in Aquino state visit

President Benigno Aquino III will depart for Thailand Thursday for a two-day state visit meant to deepen bilateral ties in agriculture, law enforcement, and regional cooperation. Aquino will meet the long-reigning King Bhumibol Aduljadej at the Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok where the Thai monarch is recuperating from lingering ailments. The bilateral talks with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will have a full agenda of issues and programs on agriculture, drug trafficking, regional ties, and participation in international forums. The two leaders will convene a joint news conference and then attend an official dinner. Aquino will confer with top Thai business executives from the Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group led by its chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dhanin Chearavanont, president and CEO of CP Foods PLC Adirek Sripratak and senior vice president CP Foods PLC Pinij Kungvankij. He will also meet the Siam Cement Group (SCG) president and CEO Kan Trakulhoon, SCG vice president for finance and investment Chaovalit Ekabut, vice president for corporate administration Aree Chavalitcheewingul, SCG Paper president Roongrote Rangsiyopash, SCG Building Materials president Pichit Maipoom and corporate planning director Bunn Ksemsup. Aquino will also have talks with PTT Public Company Limited president Prasert Bunsumpun, executive vice president Chavalit Punthong and senior vice president Sarun Rungkasiri. The CP Group is one of Asia’s leading conglomerates, with businesses and affiliates operating within the agribusiness, retail and telecommunications markets. It has a workforce of over 250,000 people. In the year 2009, CP group’s sales were $18 billion. SCG, Thailand’s top corporation for the third straight year according to the Asian Wall Street Journal, was established about 100 years ago by Royal Decree of King Rama VI. PTT, a state-owned energy firm, was established on December 29, 1978 and is engaged in the Philippines’ retail fuel market. While in Thailand, Aquino will be conferred an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Economics by the Kasetsart University, one of Thailand’s leading public universities. President Aquino will also be meeting with the Filipino community in Thailand. At least 14,910 Filipinos are residing and working in Thailand as English teachers, musicians, corporate executives and administrative and technical staff of the United Nations agencies and other international organizations. — Amita O. Legaspi/ELR/KBK, GMA News